Slam Dunk, Vol. 1 (Slam Dunk (Viz)) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

UPDATE: Before you even read this, please know that I have absolutely no love for basketball. I have very little love for sports, in general. Keep that in mind as I rave about Slam Dunk.

I read the entirety of the series about a year and a half ago. I borrowed it from a friend who purchased the Singapore English-language releases. The translation was good, but it did have a few odd moments. I'm hoping that Viz takes some time and care with this translation considering the fact that this title finished its run ages ago and there is no other possible reason for them to release it on such a ridiculously drawn out schedule. On the current release schedule, this title is poised to finish production about 7 or 8 years from now (31 volumes released quarterly). Let's hope this changes.

As for the story, Slam Dunk is top-notch. There isn't a single misstep in the entire run, and I enjoyed every moment of it. It was incredibly exciting, intense, funny, and addictive. I can't imagine how painful it would have been to wait months between installments, but don't let that stop you from getting into it.

Slam Dunk is an institution. It regularly receives honors as the most beloved manga series of all time in Japan, and for good reason. Those of you who are reading current Jump titles will see much that laid the foundation for current titles. The type of hero seen in this title was not entirely original as of its writing, but I feel that both Naruto and Ichigo owe a great deal to Sakuragi-kun.

Don't sleep on this series. It really is one of the most enjoyable titles you may ever read. It is everything a Jump title should be, yet it has a much broader appeal as men and women of all ages seem to absolutely adore it.

Slamdunk it's the absolute best and funniest sports manga around it will make you roar with laughter and tears as you find yourself growing to care deeply for this fool Hanamichi and his team and his comming of age love for the game Basketball ! I love Hanamichi and his foolishness but he's also one of the toughest dudes out there so theres fighting and hiliarity to be had in spades .

We all do stupid things for love, especially in high school. Who hasn't tried out for the football team or cheerleading squad for the sake of popularity? Who hasn't joined a club just to be a little closer to a crush? Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk is just one of many endearing stories out there about how people are willing to change themselves to gain the attention of another.

Hanamichi Sakuragi has a reputation: He's a thug who has been rejected by girls 50 times in a row. The latest one has turned him down for love of a guy who plays basketball. Now anyone who mentions anything even remotely related to the sport is a potential target for his fist. Hanamichi wants to turn over a new leaf in his first year of high school by shedding his old reputation as a reject, but how? The girls think he's nothing but a gang leader. How will they ever see his loving soul?

While he's wallowing in his own misery, a girl named Haruko Akagi approaches the tall and muscular Hanamichi and asks if he likes to play basketball. Normally, this would incur his wrath, but Hanamichi is instantly smitten with the fearless girl and decides to play along. The two bond over her love of the sport. Hanamichi is sure that he's finally found the girl of his dreams. If only he could walk her home, then he could die a happy man.

There's just one problem: He doesn't know the first thing about how to play basketball! He manages to fake it for now, and even impresses Haruko with his natural ability to jump high and slam dunk (when his aim is on). When Haruko confesses that she already has a crush on Kaede Rawkawa, a star player whom she's always admired from afar, Hanamichi is crushed. That's not going to stop him, though! In an attempt to impress Haruko with his skills, he challenges the captain of the school's team to a one-on-one match, only to find out that the captain is Haruko's own brother, Takenori!

Hanamichi figures that the best way to convince the captain to let him on the team is through sheer determination. He cleans the floors, shines the balls, and even tries to bribe him with images of his favorite female idol. When Takenori finally agrees to let him on the team, Hanamichi finds it frustrating to be stuck drilling the fundamentals when all he wants to do is slam dunk.

This series is a refreshing read for those who usually turn to manga for fantasy and science fiction. This adorable comedy is simplistic, a comfort read. The action is over-the-top and campy, but that's the point. Slam Dunk is not meant to be taken too seriously, not yet anyway. Readers who are new to manga in general may find the exaggerated art to be a little off-putting at first. The character design and motion drawings are very Japanese in their style with things like speed lines, sweat drops, and changes in proportion. Still, Inoue's art style is actually quite normal in shounen manga, especially when it comes to high-school life.

-- Courtney Kraft